“A café?”
“What were you expecting? Work as an accountant? You won’t find a better job at your age.”
“I was born in 1900.”
Jasmine turned to him. “Don’t say those things out loud. Do you want to be taken for a vampire or something? And don’t mention Hell, either.”
Edwin huffed, regarding the decaying façade of the café. Through the dirty windows, he could see clients sitting on the tables near them.
“Look: I severed all ties to my family, and working as a medium is not as profitable as I wished. I can lend you some money, but I’m not exactly rich, so—”
“No. Forgive me. I truly am thankful for your help. I expected finding a job would be harder, considering how you painted the situation yesterday.”
“Well, you'll still need to captivate the owner. I just saw the sign as I walked by. And you don't need to thank me, really,” she waved her hand, but her tiny smile betrayed that it pleased her.
Edwin had spent most of the past day sleeping, as soon as Jasmine had shown him her sofa at the back of her shop. When he had woken up, she had just returned with his fake ID and had been successful at enrolling him in St. Hilarion, apparently. Where the money to pay his school fees would come from, he didn't ask, but she seemed quite pleased with the outcome. Edwin was positive that she had used her powers and had the feeling that the school receipts would go directly to her sister's bank account. Since he considered he had been extremely lucky to find Jasmine, even if it had been by chance, he was not about to dispute her methods. Let alone when he had been trying to slip something out of the Paynes' bank account. He had died a few years previous to that year, but his older brother's descendants were definitely still alive. Even so, that would have been quite complicated.
Terrible luck, his, that working was the least suspicious option. It would be good for him to try not to draw the authorities' attention to himself, since he would be living in a place with a non-relative and going around carrying a false identification.
“Besides,” Jasmine said. “It’s right next to the school. It’s perfect.”
Edwin sighed again. “That is true.”
Steeling himself, Edwin pushed the door open and stepped inside.
“Sorry!” A girl with bright ginger hair rushed right past him with a pair of plates, making Edwin jump back.
He blinked, slightly startled, before taking in the place. It wasn’t exactly spacious. Two lines of two tables each next to the windows, some more pushed against the wall. The floor was greasy, making the white and black square tiles look strange. The bar had a few red stools and a little glass counter next to the cash desk, full of processed baked goods. Behind it, there was a huge slotted menu board hung over a door, which had to lead to the kitchen, surely.
Jasmine sat on one of the stools, watching around distractedly. Edwin waited until he could intercept the stressed waitress. By the looks of her, she looked like a university student. She blinked at him. Here eyes were big and kind, of a deep brown. A soft smile appeared on her lips, automatic almost, but making her freckly face more inviting. She tilted her head with curiosity.
“Forgive me. I hoped to speak to the owner,” Edwin told her.
“Oh, Sam? Why, though?”
“I wished to ask if you were still looking for a waiter.”
“Oh, right! He's in the kitchen right now. You'll find him there. Through that door,” she pointed at it. “Good luck!”
She rushed away to take an order from a couple that had just arrived. Edwin did as she said, sharing a glance with Jasmine as he walked around the bar. She gave him a thumbs-up, smiling.
A strong smell of fried beef hit him, making his stomach growl even though he had eaten an hour ago. A middle-aged man with already greying hair and a profuse beard was before the stoves. He had wide shoulders and strong arms, looked like an unbreakable wall, but his expression was peaceful. He was humming to the song playing in the background while he cooked.
“Hello, sir?” Edwin asked as he was not immediately noticed.
Sam raised his head to him, arching his brows.
“Hello. Not to be unkind, but clients are not allowed here,” Sam said.
“Excuse my intrusion. Your waitress allowed me in. I was interested in the job offer posted outside.”
The man’s features brightened instantly. “Oh. That’s alright, then, lad. So, why do you want the job?”
Edwin looked at him, frowning. Sam just stared at the contents of the pan and flipped them in the air.
“I beg your pardon?”
The man laughed, not unkindly. “St. Hilarion’s student, I suppose.”
Edwin gulped, confused. “Yes.”
Sam put the pan aside and turned off the stove. “Let me reformulate the question, then.”
He approached him, cleaning his hands on his stained smock, and then crossed his arms over his chest. Edwin had to crank his neck up to look into his eyes.
“Why do you need the job?” Sam asked, his tone of voice soft.
Edwin assessed the man, not believing this was what would determine if he deserved to get the job. However, he had been dealing with many types of people over the years. He knew some tricks. Sometimes, brutal honesty was the only way with a brutally honest man.
“I am trying to sustain myself. My family is no longer interested in helping me in that regard.”
Sam only hummed, watching him attentively. “Are you staying somewhere safe?”
“Yes.”
“Will they stop paying your school fees?”
“No,” Edwin stopped, considering. “I just can’t go to the family house anymore.”
“Did you get in trouble?”
Edwin gulped. “Only for being myself.”
“Ah.”
Sam and Edwin kept watching each other for a moment. Then, Sam scanned him, clearly assessing his clothes.
“Three pounds per hour, for now. Fridays from four to seven. Full day on the weekends. You’ll start tomorrow and come here after school next week. Jenna will teach you the basics.”
Before Edwin could utter something, Sam just raised his hand, offering it to him.
“Welcome to the family. How do I call you?”
“Edwin.”
“Nice to meet you, Edwin.”
Finally emerging a tad from his stupor, Edwin shook his hand. “Thank you for this opportunity.”
Sam smiled at him kindly. Right then, the young waitress, Jenna, burst into the kitchen to inform of a new order. Edwin saw himself off with a polite goodbye and slipped through the door.
“How did it go?” Jasmine said.
“Did you do something?” Edwin frowned at her.
She jumped out of her stool and both of them walked towards the door. “Nah. I just read him from the outside when I saw the sign yesterday. He has a soft spot for teens with problematic lives. Guessed you had a chance to get the job.”
“You were right,” Edwin said as they walked into the street. “Thank you. Again. For helping me.”
Jasmine laughed and walked around her car, parked next to the café. “We’ll see if you keep saying that when you see the flat’s decor. Come on. Jump in.”
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